Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Medias and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,174 in Medias versus $1,397 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,802 in Medias versus $2,105 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,429 in Medias versus $2,814 in Bucharest.

Living in Medias costs roughly 16% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medias is 14% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.36 RON 56.6

$15.50 RON 71.0

-20.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.0 RON 252

$59.9 RON 274

-8.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 36.43

$7.54 RON 34.53

5.44%

Cappuccino

$3.80 RON 17.40

$3.72 RON 17.05

2.15%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 RON 11.77

$2.36 RON 10.81

8.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 10.80

$2.30 RON 10.53

2.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 RON 14.92

$3.98 RON 18.23

-18.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 RON 16.52

$4.51 RON 20.67

-19.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 RON 5.99

$1.82 RON 8.32

-28.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 RON 6.98

$1.44 RON 6.61

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.20

$1.82 RON 8.34

-1.65%

Eggs

$3.60 RON 16.50

$3.94 RON 18.05

-8.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 RON 42.14

$9.47 RON 43.37

-2.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 RON 33.83

$7.05 RON 32.31

4.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 RON 61.1

$12.16 RON 55.7

9.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.15

$1.33 RON 6.10

17.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.22

$1.67 RON 7.67

-5.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.64

$1.64 RON 7.49

1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 RON 13.04

$2.80 RON 12.81

1.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 RON 3.72

$0.84 RON 3.85

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.08

$0.79 RON 3.61

12.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$0.91 RON 4.16

3.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.91

$1.00 RON 4.59

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 RON 30.18

$7.00 RON 32.07

-5.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 RON 35.18

$6.44 RON 29.50

19.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 RON 5.82

$1.24 RON 5.69

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 RON 9.14

$1.74 RON 7.97

14.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 RON 3.45

$0.86 RON 3.93

-12.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.39 RON 103

$21.97 RON 101

1.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.08

$0.63 RON 2.91

6.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.69 RON 3.16

2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 RON 31.83

$6.68 RON 30.61

4.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.97 RON 9.03

-27.41%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.8K RON 136.3K

$29.3K RON 134.4K

1.46%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K RON 123.7K

$28.4K RON 130.2K

-5.01%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$189 RON 865

$192 RON 878

-1.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.31 RON 38.05

$8.51 RON 38.97

-2.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.69 RON 44.37

$10.09 RON 46.20

-3.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.39 RON 180

$53.1 RON 243

-25.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.47 RON 98.3

$25.78 RON 118

-16.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 RON 31.00

$8.57 RON 39.24

-21.00%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$464 RON 2,126

$664 RON 3,043

-30.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,274 RON 33.3K

$15.1K RON 69.2K

-51.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 RON 246

$94.5 RON 433

-43.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 RON 169

$40.90 RON 187

-9.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 RON 357

$82.4 RON 378

-5.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 RON 436

$99.2 RON 455

-4.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 RON 1,817

$716 RON 3,278

-44.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,352

$470 RON 2,154

-37.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 RON 2,921

$1,149 RON 5,265

-44.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 RON 2,158

$739 RON 3,384

-36.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,908 RON 8,741

$3,881 RON 17.8K

-50.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,377 RON 6,309

$2,277 RON 10.4K

-39.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 RON 6,798

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.76

6.51%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medias: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $397 in Medias and $716 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $55.0 in Medias vs $60.0 in Bucharest. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $235, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medias vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medias and Bucharest differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,174 vs $1,397 including rent). Medias is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,762 in Medias and $2,095 in Bucharest to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $397 in Medias versus $716 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,174 per month in Medias versus $1,397 in Bucharest – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medias runs roughly 2% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,174 in Medias versus $1,397 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medias but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Medias the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medias and Bucharest are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medias gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.